This legal twist should not change the prison destiny of former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein but it will bring him back to court. A New York appeals court on Thursday overturned the conviction for rape and sexual assault of former Hollywood star producer Harvey Weinstein, and ordered a new trial.
The appeals court found that procedural errors had been made during this trial, which constituted a victory for the #MeToo movement. During the trial, in 2020, testimony relating to acts other than those committed against the complainants was notably admitted “incorrectly”, according to one of the judges of the court of appeal. However, these testimonies had “portrayed a highly prejudicial image” of the producer. “The solution to these shocking errors is a new trial,” continued this judge.
23 years in prison in New York and 16 years in Los Angeles
Harvey Weinstein, 72, was sentenced to 23 years in prison in New York in 2020 for rape and sexual assault. But he was also sentenced the following year and for similar acts to 16 years in prison in Los Angeles for similar acts.
The #MeToo movement was triggered by revelations about the sexual predatory behavior of Harvey Weinstein, who in his heyday was the rule of thumb in Hollywood.